Friday Night Lights

A big "Thank You" to the incredible, wonderful, unbelievably talented writers of this show for writing an episode such as this. It didn't have the sense of finality that we got with last year's "State", but it did give us closure. With the exception of Jason's baby (something that I have to admit doesn't exactly have me jumping out of my chair, screaming that life just won't be fair if I don't have the chance to hear Erin the waitress's decision), we weren't left angry and unfulfilled, should the show not come back. It was a classy way to potentially go out, and other shows should take note of it. Plus, for once, the Panthers managed to win a game by a landslide, with Coach Taylor even gifting the other team a touchdown. 45-6, baby, and he still came out the bigger man.

The smaller man turned out to be Peter Berg's hilarious Morris McArnold (what a name), who, after accusing Eric of stealing both Tami and football plays, picked a fight with him at a swanky Italian restaurant. I love the man as the show creator, but I was gnashing my teeth along with Eric when Moe was holding Gracie Bell at the game. Who'd have guessed that the most obnoxious man on the show would be the one who gave Dillon Memorial Hospital a much-needed helicopter? He was a bit like an angrier, bitterer version of season 1 Buddy Garrity. In fact, the only way this episode could have been better would have been if Buddy had thrown down with Moe.

Now that Tyra and Landry — of the final touchdown we may ever see the Panthers score — finally, and effortlessly together, we have a new non-couple to deal with: Tim and Lyla. I'm pretty sure that during her experience at the ranch, she realized she wasn't over Tim, no matter what she keeps telling herself and her boyfriend, and she loves that Tim is never going to give up. I loved the scene around the dinner table at the ranch ("Like that Russian Lit degree is doing her a lot of good while she's shopping for shoes at Neimans!") as the embodiment of the anti-Tim existence, but in the end the overall experience left her wanting, ahem, more. (On an unrelated note, since when does Lyla want to go to Princeton? That was kind of out of the blue.)

Despite the epic Taylor banter, the sublime sight of Landry scoring a touchdown, and what I'm guessing was supposed to be the heart of this episode (Jason's dilemma), Smash is what this week was all about. We have to add Gaius Charles' lately stunning performance as Smash to the increasingly long list of un(der)appreciated talent on this hidden gem of a show. His final realization that his future isn't what it was supposed to be, and his mother's attempt to cheer him up ("I got your favorite dessert. I knew that would put a smile on your face.") just radiated honesty — something I've come to expect from this show, but by which I am consistently blown away. He gave up on the promise of immediate money and possible fame with the Arena League, for what will ultimately be the more fulfilling option: Whitmore College. We should all be so lucky as to end up like Smash.

Were you listening tonight, Ben Silverman? I certainly hope so, because the kindhearted coach of Whitmore summed up Friday Night Lights in a nutshell: "We don't have the size — we have the heart." It wasn't a loud or particularly showy moment, but it was honest and it was real, and it would be a damn shame to lose that kind of television.

Can't get enough Friday Night Lights? Check out our Online Video Guide for clips, full episodes, interviews and more!

I declare Friedman’s First Law of FNL to be that for every person whose life starts going well, another must suffer. How else to explain the improving lives of Tyra and Landry versus the declining fortunes of Smash and Saracen?

Tyra and Landry had a pretty rough couple of months between the murder and their non-breakup. But in a swift moving series of events, Landry confessed his crime with no ill effects and Tyra realized that he’s the one who sets her heart aflutter. I can’t help it. I like them together, if only to see them happy for the first time in seemingly forever.

Also generally happy this week were the Taylors. For once, Julie had a just reason to be her sullen teenage self for once, when Tami didn’t show up for her driving test (instead bringing the now 2-7 girls volleyball team home for dancing and sundaes). But once Tami finessed the DMV worker and Julie was able to take her test, all was forgiven. It was lovely to see Gracie, Julie, Tami and Eric all living together in some sort of harmony à la season 1. Plus, at the DMV, we had one of the best exchanges of dialogue from the whole show, when Tami asked the tester, “Hey are you a Panthers fan?” and he responded with, “No, I hate football.” As if working at the DMV didn’t make him enough of a pariah!

On the other end of the emotional spectrum was the perennially abandoned Saracen. I can’t imagine I was the only one shocked that our QB1 called his art teacher a bitch (to her face, no less). After skipping school and joining the Riggins School of Life (Lesson One: “I always skip [school] Wednesdays.” Lesson Two: Learning to tell strippers, “I’m almost done with high school.”), Matt found himself unprepared to lead a Smash-less team, both emotionally and physically. Showing up to practice drunk will do that to you. The scene where he broke down in the shower, screaming at Coach, “You left me for a better job […] Everybody leaves me! What is wrong with me?” managed to remind us both how much we love Matt Saracen, and how much we hate the Emmy, Golden Globes and SAG voters for ignoring this show. Pure perfection.

And Smash. Oh, Smash. As though being suspended for three games wasn’t enough, TMU has revoked his scholarship (“They say I’ve got questionable character. That’s the mark of death, Coach.”), casting a pall over his senior year. It’s hardly the end of the world: as my father, whom I was lucky enough to watch this episode with, pointed out, other schools are not going to pass up a chance to grab this talent. Just look at Randy Moss after his Notre Dame scholarship got revoked. He’s certainly feeling no pain now (and let’s face it, probably won’t be for quite some time). But I can certainly understand the degree of panic that Smash must be dealing with right now. His speech to his teammates showed immense character (if only TMU could have seen it), and for once, he’s realized that there is a Panther team beyond the force that is Smash Williams. That didn’t make watching him in sob in frustration, anger and sadness any easier. (And as always, brava to Liz Mikel, who does a beautiful, understated job as Smash’s mother. It never goes unnoticed.)

Peter Berg will join the cast of the show next week, which will probably cause the universe to explode somehow. If it doesn’t, I’ll see you then for one last episode (that hopefully won’t serve as the de facto series finale) before a strike-imposed hiatus. Clear eyes! Full hearts! Can’t cancel!

Can't get enough Friday Night Lights? Check out our Online Video Guide for clips, full episodes, interviews and more!

First, I need to say that I loved this episode overall. Second, I need to give a big fat TV GUIDE Jeer to FNL, Chevrolet and NBC for pouring that commercial disguised as drama down our throats and then making us watch it again 3 minutes later in an effort to promote a truck. We often say that whatever this show needs to do to stay alive should be done, but I have to wonder about that when I see things like this.

With that unpleasantness out of the way, let's get right to the good stuff, namely, Tami becoming a great coach in her own right, to the delight of all but Julie. OK, so a team now being 1-7 instead of 0-7 isn't exactly a turnaround, it's wonderful to watch the Panthers win something outright for the first time in what seems like forever. Plus, we got some great Taylor banter with, "I'd love to butter you some toast." It's dialogue so ordinary that it always just works.

Another beneficiary of the volleyball situation is Tyra, who obviously desperately needed a way to vent. Lucky for her that she's tall, and a pretty powerful player. Tim was great as the ball wrangler in the background who didn't think girl's volleyball was much worth his time. I probably would have beaned him too.

Not that Tim didn't have enough problems of his own, between being rejected, yet again, by Lyla, and having to find a way to repay Meth Man or risk getting his knees shot off. What was going on there though between MM and Billy? Did I miss something, or is Billy a former customer? And it seems that Lyla, despite her protestations, does still care for Tim if she's willing to just give him $3000 (which begs the question of where she got that kind of cash). I have to say that more so than any other part of this show — certainly more than the murder plot — the scenes at Meth Man's house creep me out beyond words. Maybe it's the way that he and his friends are made to look so realistically strung out and dingy, and not in a drug-chic way, but I get the honest-to-god willies when they come on the screen. Whoever does the set and costume design really deserves a huge congratulations

As for Smash… what is there to say? I can't fault him for losing his temper — what these guys are doing to him is really vile — but if he wants to be the star he believes he already is, he needs to learn how to present himself in a better light to the media, even when provoked, or he's not going to get very far. Let's not forget that he hasn't signed any papers with TMU, and that this could all disappear faster than a judge can say, "plea agreement denied." Is it fair? Not really. But it is what it is, as they say, and he should be hoping that a three game suspension — as devastating as this is for the team, his own season and his college prospects — is all he gets, because a jail sentence is going to be much harder to explain away.

And aside from the unpleasantness mentioned above, I have to admit that I quite liked Jason at Buddy's dealership. I thought Buddy's "You ever thought about selling cars?" was a lovely callback to Eric's "You ever think about coaching?" from last season's "Mud Bowl" episode. It's a given that the team was going to resent him, but it looks like he's going to make a decent car salesman. I'm not sure what the depression upon returning to his home was about (any theories?), but Herc is a good friend to him, even with the dilapidated truck issues, and it's nice to see someone look out for Jason's emotional interests, as opposed to his financial or physical ones.

Until next week, let's mix it up a bit and say let's go lady Panthers!

Can't get enough Friday Night Lights? Check out our Online Video Guide for clips, full episodes, interviews and more!

Hello FNL fans, Leah is on vacation, so I’m filling in. If you don’t know me yet, I’m Casey. So much happened tonight! This episode felt like a stepping stone to greater, not always better, things to come.

I’ve been sick all week, so please bear with me.

Some people may think this episode was dated, but in the real and present world, race and gender still matter to many. I liked how this episode touched on those issues.

I’ll start with the Taylor’s. I hated seeing Shelley go last week, but it gave FNL another opportunity to tackle family values and issues. Some people, like Mac McGill, believe a woman’s place is at home. But as Coach Taylor pointed out, “That just sounds stupid and ignorant when you say it aloud.” Thank you Coach!

I am one of four children and both of my parents have worked full-time jobs for their entire 28 years of marriage. My mother’s a flight attendant. I’m still dumbfounded by people‘s reactions… “when you were young and she was away, who took care of you?” Uh, my Dad.

Connie Britton was adorable (Emmy? Globe? SAG? B.S.) on Gracie’s first (attempted) day of daycare. “You’re not ready… I know, it‘s scary… maybe tomorrow… you’ll be ready then.” Gracie was always ready. Mama wasn’t. I never thought the fear was separation anxiety. It was a trust issue. The Taylor’s had no problem leaving their daughter with her aunt, but now Gracie will be left with strangers. It’s the “what if” factor that made Tami run.

The moment on the porch between Eric and Tami was a reminder that love (married or not) is grounded by trust, commitment and compromise. They both realized that daycare was the best choice for everyone.

Let’s move onto the William’s family. The issue of race isn’t new to Smash. He tackled it last season after Mac, again, made a stupid and ignorant comment. This season, Smash has a new girlfriend and it was time to meet the parents. The dinner conversation was humiliating. I felt awful for Smash. Both teens watched in horror as their parents agreed on an issue they were raised to ignore. The parents respected each other, they enjoyed each other’s children, but they feared the world outside the dinner table. It was an ambush and it backfired.

The movie theater scene had me clenching my jaw in distaste. How dare those boys treat anyone that way! And the reaction from the people behind the concession stand. WTF? I’d hope most, if not all, FNL viewers would agree with me. See, in my world - population: 1 - none of that matters. I like good people. People who treat others the way they want to be treated. I guess it’s easier said than done in the world outside my bubble. Thankfully, Smash didn’t get into any trouble. I kept thinking he would be arrested for assault (like the police tried to do last season), but instead he had to fight back tears as he begged his baby sister not to tell their mother what happened. Smash’s reaction in the car wasn’t entirely for his sister. His mother had been right. He had deliberately defied her wishes and the outcome was brutal. How could he face her?

My favorite moments in this episode dealt with Santiago and Buddy. I know Leah has mentioned it so many times before, but who knew Buddy Garrity could bring tears to my eyes? I loved how he invited Santiago’s friends over for “pizza and a movie” and then preached to the bar that you need to see into a person’s heart to know them.

I’ve always felt that we make our own decisions, but influence is also a factor. The minute Santiago’s friend showed my heart sank. He has a second chance, but one misstep could throw it all away. We all knew someone was going to steal something from the apartment. I’m glad Santiago got the watch back, because Buddy’s reaction proved that this isn’t just a “make our team better” storyline. Santiago needed someone just as much as Buddy did. Good people make mistakes too. They both found purpose in each other.

Matt’s storyline fell flat for me. Is Carlotta gone for good? Why did she have to leave so soon? What’s the deal with her kissing Matt every time he tries to talk serious about their relationship? Who will help take care of Grandma Saracen now?

It was good to see Matt Czuchry (Gilmore Girl fans), who played Lyla’s new radio love. I like Lyla. I always read negative comments about Minka Kelly and I don’t understand why. She plays a teenage girl trying to find herself and I think she does it well. She’s not dealing with the melodrama of murder or baby issues. So, for what it’s worth, I think Minka Kelly does a fine job. I will admit, I am jealous of all the men she gets to make out with (mostly just Taylor Kitsch), but somebody’s got to do it!

We saw Landry and Jason for about eight seconds each. Adrianne Palicki (Tyra) has been MIA for two episodes now. She’s my favorite. Where is she? Julie didn’t piss me off once - miracle!

I know this is a long blog and I actually have a lot more to say. So, I’ll come back and comment along with the rest of you! It’s late and the Nyquil is kicking in. I hope you all enjoyed!

Folks, I'm really sorry, but I had a problem with my TV around minute 47 of this episode. For some reason, the screen abruptly jumped to an episode of some ridiculous soap opera. I mean, I just know that someone on my beloved Friday Night Lights didn't actually say, "My wife has three months to live," followed by a plot about two brothers who looked an awful lot like the Riggins stealing mortgage money from a Meth dealer. Tell me it was just a cable problem, and everything will be ok.

Well, if indeed FNL really did stoop to this (though I'm still in denial), let me be the first to pardon Coach Dickie of Laribee for his completely unprofessional on-field behavior. If my husband were given three months to live, I'd probably knock out Tim Riggins too. Then again, if one is getting paid a boatload of money to coach, one has probably learned to compartmentalize (just do a Google search about Andy Reid and his kids and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about). The bright side is that the Laribee Lions are out of our hair.

Meanwhile, Tim has made up with his brother Billy, made up with their mutual ex, Jackie (sort of), and moved back into his own house — a house that is apparently about to be foreclosed because Billy couldn't keep everything together after getting fired. Thank god Tim went back to Meth man's house to get his stuff, knocked over a gun and in the process found $3,000 taped to the bottom of a table. That's all perfectly plausible. I especially liked that Tim insisted on putting the gun back because Meth man would "know" otherwise. Because he's not crazy enough to come after Tim regarding a measly $3,000 or anything. Lame.

Chez Taylor, Julie confessed her wrongdoing to her father and Shelly was unceremoniously ousted after taping The Office over game footage (that crazy Michael Scott is now ruining lives in Texas! And in the middle of a writers strike too!). What a sad way for Jessalyn Gilsig to exit the show. She deserved better.

In the midst of all of this was one shining beacon of reality: Smash's recruitment. Ok, reality might take it a little too far — not that I'm an expert myself, as my entire exposure to college football recruitment comes courtesy of Two-A-Days — considering the TMU coach showed up and solicited Smash in the school lunchroom, but this I was willing to take at face value. You could feel the relief in Corinne "Mama" Williams, when Smash announced he was committing to TMU, and I also couldn't help but be glad that he'll still be somewhat local. I'm no fan of Noelle, and can't help wonder whether she'll still be such an influence on Smash now that he's made his verbal commitment. In fact, it was his moments that somewhat redeemed an otherwise lackluster episode, especially the final scene between him and his mother, and the sheer exuberance with which he pronounced, "Hey ya'll, Smash is gonna play for the U, baby!"

Next week you'll be back in the very capable hands of my colleague Casey Marsella while I'm up in Taylor Kitsch-land (that's Canada, for anyone who's unsure). I'm looking forward to hearing from all of you, especially those who disagree with me about this week's episode, and perhaps I'll have reevaluated my position by the time I get back. Hey, if season 2 can have an episode completely devoid of TyLandry (LanTyra?), anything can happen.

Can't get enough Friday Night Lights? Check out our Online Video Guide for clips, full episodes, interviews and more!

If there were ever an episode to make my substitute blogger (and Tim Riggins enthusiast), Casey Marsella, swoon it would have to be this one. This was probably the most Tim-centric episode since last season, and certainly showed how far he's come since then. What's that saying? The road to hell is paved with good intentions? I know things are rough between Tim and his brother, but it would seem to me that now's as good a time as any to try and patch things up, considering his other options have basically dried up. Scary ferret-meth-man shouldn't even enter his mind as a possibility, and unfortunately the perfect existence chez Taylor ended abruptly when Eric caught him in that seemingly compromising position with a drunk Julie. Poor kid. Who'd have thought the best part of his week would be finding a urine-soaked shirt in his locker, courtesy of a Laribee d-bag (Tyra's lovely terminology — not mine)? Let's not forget that he also sort-of saved Julie from that tornado, and kept her from getting date raped by Riley of English class. Eric Taylor obviously didn't know how good he had it!

Meanwhile, Tyra and Landry are on the outs again, basically because she doesn't want to be seen in public with him. The fact that she couldn't ditch a puking Chip (seriously, who names their kid Chip these days?) was just the kind of thing I would expect from a season 1 Tyra, not from the improved, more sensitive version of season 2. Then again, not everyone can have the scruples of Tim Riggins….

The more heart-wrenching non-breakup of the night was that between Buddy and Pam Garrity. His last ditch sales attempt to win her back after finding out she was engaged to Kevin, and his subsequent rejection made me realize how underrated Brad Leland is on this show. We're always (justifiably) praising Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler, but Leland is really the core of what Dillon is: a past-his-prime football star whose life didn't exactly work out perfectly. Smash, take note. This could be you in 25 years.

And as for those Laribee kids and their beyond-obnoxious coach? I can't believe that with everything they've pulled that they weren't relocated to another school that they didn't have a game against the next week. I live in the City of Brotherly love, but I don't believe in loving any brother that pees on some clothes and then leaves them in your locker. Just tossing it out there. Kudos to Coach Taylor for taking the high road and not allowing any sort of retaliation. I think we can all agree that a humiliating defeat between two goalposts will be retaliation enough.

So until next week, go Panthers and go Tim! I'll leave you with the money quotes of the week:
• Shelly: "God he's cute."
• Eric: "It evens up the gender teams."
• Landry: "Do you think we're the Sharks or the Jets?"
• Eric calling the Laribee coach "Coach Crybaby".
• Buddy: "She'd say, 'Buddy, you could sell a pig to a priest.' I don't even know what that means, but I loved that."
• Eric: "Hey hon. We're playing ping pong."

Can't get enough Friday Night Lights? Check out our Online Video Guide for clips, full episodes, interviews and more!

Well, it only took eight episodes, but the Friday Night Lights we know and love is back. What a fantastic show we had this week; between Landry's crisis of conscience, Tami and Julie getting back on good terms, Santiago and Buddy bonding, Matt and Carlotta "cooking", Jason's crazy date, and Tim's continued repentance, nearly everyone we love (with the notable exception of Smash) got a chance to shine tonight. All that, and the Panthers finally won a game. Where to even start?

Perhaps with Landry and the titular confession. After his first abortive attempt at turning himself in, he decided to ask Tyra what she thought happened. It seemed to be the push he needed to call his crime some sort of self-defense. However, that final shot of his conflicted face after telling her that he wouldn't be facing charges leaves us to wonder if this much-maligned storyline is definitively over. Jesse Plemons is still acting the hell out of what they're giving him and I think we'd all be lucky to see him continue to suffer. Much as we all love Landry, it's just too juicy a part to go away so quickly.

Also stuck in some kind of purgatory is Tim. I'm unclear as to whether he'll now be living in the Taylors' garage, but anything is a step up from creepy Meth man, who has taken to stalking Tim and waking him up with a shot gun "joking" about Tim not feeding his ferrets.

Maybe (as some of you suggested weeks ago) Tim should move in with Buddy and Santiago. All three could work on turning their lives around. On the other hand, having another person in that apartment would rob us of the beautiful scenes between Brad Leland and Benny Ciaramello. If anyone was in a position to outdo Tami tonight, it was Buddy with his, "Tonight is your night. You have an opportunity to go out there and accept the challenge. You have the opportunity to be part of a team. If you don't do it tonight, you're never going to do it the rest of your life." The fact that Santiago apparently ended up being the one who saved the game for the Panthers later that night was just icing on the cake. He still can't seem to shake that lost little puppy expression. I both hope he does (of course I want his life to improve!), and yet pray that he doesn't, because, as I was saying above regarding Landry, the tortured Santiago is just too fantastic to want to lose.

However, one person that I'm happy to see taking control of his life is Jason. Good for him for moving in with Herc, and attempting dates, however badly — or well, as the case really ended up being — they turn out. It was certainly a major turnaround from last time we saw Mr. Street, when he was giving away his possessions and seemed ready to give up in general. I do wish we could have seen the intervening days, but I'll take what I can get.

In the end, it all worked out for our season one favorites the Taylors at Matt Saracen. Matt has a new girl who genuinely adores him, while his ex, Julie, has finally made up with her mother. Tami got her great family picture, Gracie is officially loved by all, and after what seems like forever, all is well on these two storylines.

Anyone else exhausted? Well, we have at the very least a good month to recover. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday, and we'll all drop back in to Dillon after the new year.

Can't get enough Friday Night Lights? Check out our Online Video Guide for clips, full episodes, interviews and more!

The image of Smash "Cabo in my pants" Williams running in his boxers from a big hulk of a man just happened to make my week. He may be the ladies' man of Dillon, but he apparently has a few things to learn about the social scenes at Division 1 football schools. It's disconcerting to know that Matt Saracen, despite knowing this whole story, still relied on Smash for idiotic girl advice. Lesson for all you guys out there: If you want to break up with a girl, don't take the George Costanza route (Matt's suggestion of an open relationship was just an update of George's prenup). Hopefully his relationship with Carlotta will be more successful than those he had with Julie and Lauren, but forgive me if I remain a skeptic.

It was not a good week for the women of FNL, between Matt breaking hearts, Tyra's sudden crisis of conscience, Tami getting told off by just about everyone in her family for various perceived slights, and Julie being humiliated in front of the entire school (how did that happen, by the way? Didn't Tami pull Noah out of the hallway specifically so that no one else would see?). Tyra's reaction to possibly meeting her attacker's brother was completely understandable ("What if they're twins? […] What kind of freak wants to meet their brother's rape victim anyway? What does he want?"), though her allowing a fragile Landry to rescue her yet again was not. A few weeks back she kept expressing how awful she'd feel if it was discovered what Landry did for her, and yet when presented with the opportunity to take control, she doesn't. I feel horrible judging her actions, as I've thankfully never experienced the kind of trauma she has, and someone recovering from two terrible events is allowed a decent amount of leeway, but I can't help feel for Landry — especially now that he's confessed.

I also feel for Tim. If Tyra (what is it about this girl?) hadn't kicked him out of her house, he wouldn't have ended up living with Jack Black's balder, fatter, drunker twin. I'm sure I wasn't alone in figuring out that this guy's ferrets would end up being the least of Tim's problems. The guy has a meth lab, and has now "jokingly" threatened to kill Tim if he tells. On the plus side, Tim managed to get back in Coach Taylor's good graces, and back on the team (standout apologies: Smash, Matt and "Firecrotch").

All in all, this episode left me majorly depressed. The minuses were many: The best television couple are undergoing serious marriage problems, Landry's probably going to jail and Matt's… well, he's just being a jerk. Tim's redemption and Smash's comeuppance, as heartwarming and guffaw-inducing as they were, respectively, didn't exactly balance out the gravitas. Also, I'm beginning to see that not only are my Eagles coughing up a season, but my Panthers are, too. Taylor is going to be lucky if he keeps his job next season (next football season that is — the show's renewal chances have never been murkier. The ratings aren't great but the demos are). I still love this show, but would it kill them to lighten up a bit?

Can't get enough Friday Night Lights? Check out our Online Video Guide for clips, full episodes, interviews and more!

"He's got a great heart and I want him to have a chance."

Move over man-slut Matt Saracen. You've been replaced in my heart by Santiago. How sad, how ridiculously heartbreakingly sad was that look on his face in the very last shot? It just hurt to watch. I'm still shocked at the never-ending evolution of Buddy Garrity this season, and taking in Santiago for reasons beyond helping out the Panthers — in fact, because as trite as it sounds, he needs a son as much as Santiago needs a father — was so sweet and unselfish, that it would have shocked me a year ago. But this season's a whole 'nother thing, and Buddy's redemption has made even this most cynical of Northeasterners want to just start blubbering like I’m watching Lifetime or something. Sure, he has a ways to go, as evidenced by Tami's "You've got a lot of steak and you've got a lot of sausage; get some vegetables in here," but it's a wonderful start, and for Santiago's sake more than Buddy's, I really hope it works out.

And then there's Matt, who, as I've already pointed out, seems to be taking his time making up his mind about who he wants to date. Should he date his girlfriend or his nurse? Or should he date his girlfriend and just kiss his nurse? Well, I'm still no fan of the cheerleader (too perky and obnoxious for my taste, even if she does know her cars), but imagine if things go south with a girl living in your house. It can only end badly for our good friend QB1. Make me eat my words, please, Matt.

Meanwhile, Matt's decidedly ex-girlfriend Julie is over-the-moon for her newspaper advisor, Mr. Noah Barnett (Austin Nichols), graduate of Columbia Journalism and former employee of the "Milwaukee Journal." Barnett is a rather ambiguous character, isn't he? Tami obviously thinks something fishy is up in his relationship with her daughter, but I'm not so sure. I'm hoping that LanTyra is going to be the only "ripped from the headlines"-type drama this season, and that we'll be spared the teacher/student thing. I don't think it's heading in that direction, because I think that this is just about Julie needing to have a crush on someone. It's just creepy that it's her teacher. Barnett seems smart enough not to make a decision that could ruin his career, the way that dating the daughter of two of his colleagues could.

I think maybe everyone in Dillon needs to just sit down with Smash's mom for five minutes in order to be told right from wrong. Smash may disagree, but she only has his best interests at heart in wanting more than just a football career for him. He may think, "College isn't a goal, it's a means to an end," but she knows what any former teammate of Jason Street should realize, namely that an athletic career is somewhat less than a secure future. Even if he does make it on to a top college team, there's no guarantee he'll go pro. And the sad thing is that it's not just about ego with him, because he obviously wants to give back to his mother and sister. But what do I know? He's very talented and maybe there's a very great possibility that he could, in fact, go pro. I'm looking forward to hearing everyone's thoughts on this situation — especially anyone with a high-school or college football background.

Worth mentioning are Tim's self-imposed homelessness, and Tyra and Lyla's choreography. In Tim's case, I won't have much to say until I see how living with the man with the ferret works out, and the Tyra and Lyla thing was a cute diversion. Nothing more, nothing less.

No new episode next week, and I'll be on vacation anyway, so let me take this opportunity to wish everyone a very happy Thanksgiving. See you all in two weeks for what will hopefully be the beginning of the end for the whole murder debacle.

Can't get enough Friday Night Lights? Check out our Online Video Guide for clips, full episodes, interviews and more!

Who could have guessed that when Julie dumped Matt, she'd be the one getting her heart broken? Oh, just about anyone who's ever been 16. It all seems to be working out for our illustrious QB, who's got a new cheerleader girlfriend, plus another romantic option in the form of his grandmother's nurse.

In addition to Matt's super-difficult choice, there's a new addition to the Panthers, Smash is going through recruitment, and former enemies Lyla and Tyra are going to work together. It's never a dull day in Dillon.

Discuss it all here, live, and check back after 10pm/ET for my full recap.

Episode Recap: "How Did I Get Here"

I effin' love this show. Sometimes it's just too good, and tonight was one of those times. Between the introduction of two new strong women (girls' soccer coach Bobbie Roberts, and Tami's sister, Shelly (played by the always brilliant Jessalyn Gilsig)) and that fantastic last scene of Tim teaching Santiago how to play football, I'm tempted to call this the best episode of the season so far.

We finally got to see Tim start to take control of his life, and grudgingly accept responsibility for the mess he's made for himself. At the moment he's still off the team and in danger of being left back in school, but he's looking happier than he has in ages, perhaps due in small part to Smash's mom's homemade apple pie. OK, that's probably not true, but I have to believe that he's feeling good by taking some control over his life.

And then there's his good buddy Jason. Lyla is justifiably worried about him, and I can see why: It must feel awful knowing that your parents still live in your past glory days, and having to be the town mascot. He obviously wants to get out of Dillon, but by giving away some of his possessions, I'm worried that he wants out of a little more than just the town. Coach Taylor's little speech to him ("The coach and the players, they learn from each other, it goes both ways. You lift up everyone around you. That's a powerful gift to earn. I hope I didn't let you down. This I'll hold on to until you come pick it up.") was that perfect moment that we've all come to expect from FNL, and I'm hoping that if Jason really is getting seriously depressed, that it shocked him back to the reality that there are a lot of people in Dillon that still care about him for reasons that have nothing to do with football.

On the Taylor side of events, Julie is getting a taste of her own medicine, though I do wish that Matt wasn't locking lips with Lauren, whom I've decided is an idiot (a shiv in your heart, really? Matt, don't go down that road). Her Aunt Shelly is not the most wonderful influence on her life, what with the crazy so-called shirt from Brazil, and wanting to fly her to Costa Rica, but at least she's injecting an element of fun into Julie's life. However, as part of the Law of Conservation of Fun, everything that's Julie's gain is Tami's loss. Shelly's arrival made her realize that she now has a whole 'nother go-'round of parenting ("Then [Gracie]'s gonna turn into Julie and just be mean to me, and I'll be in a walker.") Meanwhile, Eric is back to hating Buddy for being misleading about the salary he'd be returning to, leading to the new athletic director position (and Ms. Bobbie Roberts), and still trying to figure out how to make the team work.

In the most disconnected plot of the night, Landry confessed to his dad after being told of evidence (in the form of car upholstery) that could connect the murder back to him — and 20 other people in Dillon. So, being the standup public servant Mr. Clarke is, he instructed his son to follow him out to the boondocks, where the car was set on fire. The Clarkes could have used Shelly's advice that, "Just because you live in Dillon, that doesn't mean you have to stop thinking."

Many thanks to my good friend Casey Marsella for doing a wonderful job filling in for me last week, as well as to the FNL writers for having the subtlest approach to Green Week of all the shows on NBC. Speaking of writers, if you're wondering what the strike means for this show (as well as many others), check out this post by Ausiello. It all basically boils down to this: Let's just enjoy it while we've got it.

Check out our Online Video Guide for clips, previews and full episodes of Friday Night Lights!

First Matt, then Buddy, now (the probably soon-to-be-indicted) Landry. Dillon goes through town heroes like I go through paper towels. So who's on deck?

At the moment, all signs point to Tim, who in recent weeks has seemingly quit the team, devolved in to outright alcoholism, and driven his paralyzed best friend down to Mexico for some experimental surgery. Lately he looks to be on the up-and-up, between trying to talk some sense in to Jason and maybe patching things up with Lyla.

But perhaps Landry's still got some time left in the limelight — or maybe he'd better star praying that an orange jumpsuit looks just as good as his Panther blues.

Discuss it here as it happens, then check back after 10pm/ET for my full recap.

Guest blogger Casey Marsella (Heroes) here! Leah couldn't make it tonight, but I'll do my best to recap this amazing show!

Landry! Landry! Landry!

Jesse Plemons made Dillon (and FNL fans) stand up and cheer tonight. His performance is what I love about this show. I’ve always noticed that the people who seem "out of place" are usually the ones most comfortable in their own skin. Landry used to be the goofy, one-liner sidekick, but he was always sure of himself. Tonight he proved that. His halftime speech was the highlight of the episode: "We can win together or lose alone." It was the perfect lead-in to: Clear eyes. Full hearts. Can’t lose!

So, who’s together and who’s alone?

Let’s start with the Taylors. Tami is thrilled to have her husband back, but not enough to give him the "green light." Coach was gently shot down and forced to sleep on the couch so Tami could finally get a good night’s sleep. The next day, the bags under his eyes initiated an unwanted sex talk between him and Mac. "Not now or ever again do I want to hear about you and Susan ridin’ in the saddle."

Julie also tried to take the high road and patch things up with Matt. She offered him a "How are you" and concert tickets. It pained me to watch Matt say yes. Landry stepped in with a repetitive "No" as Julie walked away. Did she really think she could come back and everything would be fine?

Then we have the Three Amigos hanging out in Mexico. Jason wasn’t too happy to see Lyla, all dressed in white and ready to preach. I have to say, I like the born-again storyline for Lyla. Minka Kelly's talent is so much more than a star-crossed, loving cheerleader. Her scene presence always brings out the best in Scott Porter and Taylor Kitsch. This episode proved it. Riggins pleading for Lyla to stay, as he declared himself more of a Christian than her, was priceless. After a conflicted conversation with Jason, he seemed to give up. I freaked when he first jumped into the water, but I knew he’d be OK. How Riggins and Lyla got to land, found a car and drove to him in a matter of minutes is beyond me… but it’s always nice to see them together (even if they did look like they were about to have a drunken threesome in the end). All is well. For now.

Matt Saracen was a pleasant surprise tonight. Zach Gilford is so good in this role. His character finally grew a backbone. It started last week when Matt tackled Smash, but tonight took the chili. His reaction at the coach’s dinner table was unbelievable. Good for him! Matt has so much on his plate and is always underappreciated. I’m glad he finally said what he was thinking. Especially when Julie tried to turn their "not a date" into a date. When she asked why he suddenly couldn’t go, his answer was perfect: "Because I’m still pissed at you." Her apology was too little, too late. He also never gave in to Smash. They agreed they were both wrong, but Smash ultimately apologized for his arrogant behavior. I’m disappointed we didn’t see much of Gaius Charles in this episode. I hope we get more of him and Smash's family next Friday.

The end was full of joy and sadness. Just when Landry‘s heart was full of love and pride, Tyra ripped it out, threw it to the ground and did a Mexican hat dance on it. At first she congratulated him and told him how much he deserved the credit and approval of the town. Did you see their faces? They are both so full of young love; tainted love, but still love. Tyra knew her words had to be harsh. "Do you actually think that in a million years… take a look in the mirror. I don’t know what I was thinking with you. This is over." I cried for Landry. It broke my heart to watch him stare at Tyra in disbelief. I love Andrianne Palicki. She nails every scene. She kept her composure when she broke it off with Landry, but her words tore both their hearts. She really loves him.

I adore this show. It is the best family drama on television. I also think the entire cast, especially Connie Britton, should be nominated this year (last year was insulting).

Keeping with Leah's fashion. I'll leave you with some of the best quotes from tonight's episode — bear with me — this episode was full of great lines!

Matt: "Susan likes the tulips."
Matt: "…I turned the TV on as soon as I heard the word stork."
Tami: "I gotta go pump and dump."
Coach Taylor: "I didn’t have you over here just to eat my chili."
Mindy: "Why's there a cop in my living room?"
Riggins: "I love you and I will knock you out and bring your ass back to Dillon if I have to."
Coach Taylor: "Lance!"
Matt: "You just want to tell him that we kissed and made up and now we’re good?"
Lyla (after kissing both Jason and Tim): "I gotta go pray."

Thanks for letting me sub in! I’ll be back on Monday night for Heroes, and Leah will return next Friday! Hopefully by then, Coach Taylor will have learned Landry’s real name! What do you all think? Comments are always appreciated


Check out our Online Video Guide for clips, previews and full episodes of Friday Night Lights!

Guest blogger Casey Marsella here! I'll do my best in the absence of Leah, so here we go...

Coach Taylor returns to Dillon! His first priorty is his family at home. Julie finally came to her senses last week. Let's hope she lightens up to her new sister soon.

Coach Taylor's other family also needs some help. Will Matt and Smash come to blows again? When will Riggins and Street return home? And if they do: Will they be part of the team again?

Tyra was congratulated for her detailed description of a rapist found dead... but where's the watch?

Check back for my full recap after the show!

Episode Recap: "Backfire"

Who didn't have a little flutter in his (or her) heart when Coach Taylor, back in his Dillon Panther blues, stood up in front of that room like nothing had changed and said, "Let's go. Let's have some fun today"? What a way to end an episode that already just seemed to fly by.

Aside from that weird, Mafia-like threat from Coach MacGregor ("I have a family, too, and you just remember that. I'll be seeing you again"), Eric's homecoming was nothing less than joyous. Julie and Tami are well on their way to patching things up, especially now that it looks like the grungy Swede might be out of the picture. Matt Saracen has someone back on his side again, and Buddy should probably be considered the town hero.

Ah, Buddy. We may have just been witness to the only game in Panther history that Buddy honestly wanted his beloved team to lose. It was quite a sight to watch him hold back a grin as Smash got blocked again and again, leaving Dillon with a humiliating loss on their own field. When he wasn't successfully defending the board against MacGregor's lawsuit, he was offering a job to Lyla's new ex-convict love interest — the only one in Dillon who doesn't want to go back to "Statem" har har har — and showing all of us that Lyla's obnoxious tendencies come straight from her mother. I nominate Buddy to be the team's rallying mascot now that Jason seems to have turned his back on his team and town.

It was always obvious that Jason was desperate for some kind of miracle cure. And while I shouldn't be allowed to judge him, considering I have no idea what it must be like to a paraplegic, it's still hard to believe someone would put himself at even more of a risk. His drunken rendition of "I'm Gonna Walk-a" to the tune of "La Cucaracha" showed him to be simultaneously bitter, a lousy drunk and a kind of hopeless idealist. When Tim Riggins is the voice of sane decisions, you're in bad shape.

And yet Tyra and Landry may be in even worse shape. Sure, they're off the hook for now — the stalker's body has been found, and the police have closed Tyra's attempted rape case thanks to her identification, but Landry is starting to seriously crack, and seems about ready to throw in the towel and confess. I'm not sure how much longer Tyra can keep him contained, especially with anxiety-inducing events like what went down in the coffee shop. When those cops stood there, eyeing Landry (and Matt too, but poor Matt was completely oblivious), I almost had a heart attack. I can only imagine what that moment was like for the former frontman of Crucifictorious.

Finally, making a triumphant comeback (like Coach Taylor, woo!), is my compilation of the best lines of the episode (woo! again):
• "He does like me."
"Well, he doesn't love you, and that's the difference."
• "You go out and get loaded tonight. Catch syphilis."
• "He just got home, Buddy."
• "You, being from [another town], wouldn't understand. Here in Dillon we win seasons, we don't win games."

I'm pumped for the big Panther turn-around. Taylor better not screw it up! What did you think of his homecoming? Leave your comments here!

To catch clips and watch previous episodes of Friday Night Lights, check out our Online Video Guide.